[jlupine]

Over nine years ago, Alexander Bell wrote an article about an audio mixer powered by a supercapacitor (ultracapacitor).  Since then, there have been interest in and experiments with this technology for automotive purposes.  Has anyone heard of any attempt to employ supercapacitors as the power source for audiophile components ?

Jan

[Steve Eddy]

Haven't heard of anyone doing it but it's something I've been wanting to play with for a while now. Just haven't got 'round to it yet.

Here's the article for others who may be interested:

Single capacitor powers audio mixer

se

[pacifico]

I wrote a post about this time last year or so where people weretalking about this type of research. I am probrably wrong but couldn't you use these as batteries?

[Dan Banquer]

From what I remember these caps are for DC storage only. The ESR, DF, etc. etc. are supposedly really poor. I do remember reading an article that MIT was developing high storage capacitors for cars.
                 d.b.

[BobM]

There was an old Sci-Fi novel called "Riverworld" by Philip Jose Farmer. The concept of a "Baticitor" was used in it. This was a giant capacitor/battery combo that could store huge amounts of current, and take in large loads very quickly, but still trickle it out like a battery.

Interesting that something in this vein could be a possibility in the real world.

Enjoy,
Bob

[Steve Eddy]

I wrote a post about this time last year or so where people weretalking about this type of research. I am probrably wrong but couldn't you use these as batteries?

Well, kinda sorta.

With a capacitor, the voltage starts dropping as soon as you start drawing current from it. A battery can maintain a relatively constant voltage for some time before it starts dropping.

So you'd need to have sufficient overvoltage so that it would take a reasonable period of time before the voltage dropped to a given minimum.

se

[Steve Eddy]

From what I remember these caps are for DC storage only. The ESR, DF, etc. etc. are supposedly really poor. I do remember reading an article that MIT was developing high storage capacitors for cars.

The old supercaps had really high ESR, but the newer carbon aerogel super caps have quite low ESR. And since you're not using them as coupling caps, I don't know that DF would be much to worry about.

se

[Steve Eddy]

There was an old Sci-Fi novel called "Riverworld" by Philip Jose Farmer. The concept of a "Baticitor" was used in it. This was a giant capacitor/battery combo that could store huge amounts of current, and take in large loads very quickly, but still trickle it out like a battery.

Interesting that something in this vein could be a possibility in the real world.

Combining batteries with capacitors has been done for some time. It's called a hybrid. And unless the circuit you're powering is normally drawing very little current, I think that would be the best application for the super caps.

se

[Joules]

We would charge a bank of capacitors of 2500 uF to 20kv and then discharge it in a couple Milli seconds, we would routinely see mega amperes and giga watts in to the load !!!   

[Steve Eddy]

We would charge a bank of capacitors of 2500 uF to 20kv and then discharge it in a couple Milli seconds, we would routinely see mega amperes and giga watts in to the load !!!   

Giga Watts? What, did you used to hang around Doc Brown's place? 



se

[Joules]

  "Giga Watts? What, did you used to hang around Doc Brown's place?  "

     No --- he would hang around my place

 We used Giga watts to blow holes in 2"thick steel, with Rail Guns The lack of a supercapacitor is one thing that killed the technology.

[Steve Eddy]

     No --- he would hang around my place

 We used Giga watts to blow holes in 2"thick steel, with Rail Guns The lack of a supercapacitor is one thing that killed the technology.

Hehehe. Well, it would seem that your moniker suits you well. 

se